EY joins Smart Cities Council to advance smart city innovation

LONDON, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EY announces that it has joined the Smart Cities Council (SCC), the world's largest smart cities network, to help cities harness innovation to stay vital and safe for their citizens and businesses.

EY will support the Smart Cities Council, the industry coalition responsible for advancing smart city development and innovation, by using a highly integrated approach that harnesses technology to better connect communities, improve citizen services, power economic development, and manage resources more intelligently. EY member firms have extensive experience in delivering smart city services globally, including infrastructure intelligence, smart metering, innovative funding and financing, digital, mobility and energy services.

George Atalla, EY Global Government & Public Sector Leader, says:

"Cities around the world are growing at an unprecedented pace. Technology is crucial for connecting disparate urban systems, but technology alone cannot solve the social, environmental and logistical issues that growing cities face. The future is in the hands of those governments, businesses and entrepreneurs who will work together to create citizen-centric, resilient cities. We're excited to work with the Smart Cities Council and its members to support the cities of today in becoming the cities of tomorrow."

The Smart Cities Council brings together a range of private sector organizations dedicated to improving the world's cities. Through a combination of advocacy and action, the Smart Cities Council helps cities prepare and plan for transformation, including next-generation transportation and the impact of driverless cars, using machine learning and artificial intelligence to solve city problems and using digital payments for citizen services.

Jesse Berst, Chairman of Smart Cities Council, says:

"The Smart Cities Council works with cities around the world to help them take advantage of new technologies. Cities are growing in size and number, which puts increasing pressure on infrastructure and services. At the same time, the rise of digital and mobile are generating more data, different demands and different ways of interacting with cities. With EY's global and cross sector experience, we — and our members — gain a powerful and insightful partner to help facilitate the development of future cities that truly benefit their citizens.

Notes to Editors

About EYEY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients. This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

About EY Government & Public SectorAround the world, governments and not-for-profit organizations are continually seeking innovative answers to complex challenges. They are striving to provide better services at lower costs and to create sustainable economic development, a safe environment, more transparency and increased accountability. EY combines private sector leading practices with an understanding of the public sector's diverse needs, focusing on building organizations' capabilities to deliver improved public services. Drawing on many years of experience, we can work with you to help strengthen your organization and achieve lasting improvements. Our Global Government & Public Sector brings together teams of highly skilled professionals from our assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. We are inspired by a deep commitment to help you meet your goals and enhance public value, for today and tomorrow.

About Smart Cities CouncilLaunched in 2012, the Smart Cities Council is the author of the internationally recognized Smart Cities Readiness Guide, which provides guiding principles and best practices for an integrated, cross-cutting smart city. The Readiness Guide – which was developed based on input from hundreds of cities and solution vendors and has been applied all over the world – is the framework used to produce Readiness Workshops and Smart Cities Week conferences. The Council is comprised of more than 120 partners and advisors who have generated $2.7 trillion in annual revenue and contributed to more than 10,000 smart cities projects. To learn more, visit www.smartcitiescouncil.com